Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 Review

What really makes a good camera? I couldn’t care less about specs and megapixels. What I do care about is getting exactly the right shot, at the right moment, and please make it not blurry. That is why I am SOOOO happy with my new camera. As soon as I saw this camera at CES, I knew that I wanted it. I wanted it BADLY.

I’m not a photographer. I like to take pictures, but I don’t think I’m a photographer just because I have a nice camera. I want to take the guesswork out of the picture taking (cause by the time I get the settings just right, the moment will have completely passed). I just want good pictures of my adventures, and I don’t want to work for them.

This is why I am sooooo in love with my Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000. I saw this friend at CES this year, and could not WAIT to get my hands on it. There may have been begging involved. They didn’t give in. Fortunately I found out I WON it at CES! I didn’t find out until several months later, but I could not have been more excited! I won it from a contest I entered at CES. So, I didn’t have to write this post about it, all I had to do was enjoy my new camera. I love it so much though, that I decided to talk about it here.

The camera arrived just in time for last week of school, AND for my trip to China! I was so happy to get some great use out of the camera right off the bat. The first thing I fell in love with on this camera was the zoom. The camera doesn’t have interchangeable lenses so the lens it does have has to be really good. It is. In the photo gallery I’ve included in this post you can see the roof of a building inside the Forbidden City in China. I took the picture from across a very large courtyard (think a few football fields) and it was pretty high in the air. The picture looks as though I was standing right next to it!

I have used this amazing zoom on soooo many occasions. I love that I can get really great close up shots from wherever I am. I MAY have even used the camera zoom to check out a wasp nest that was forming at the tippy top of my roof. I did not take a picture of it, but it let me see exactly what was going on so I could kill those suckers!

Want a picture in the dark, of a fast moving motorcyclist? NOT. A. PROBLEM. The best way I’ve found to get these kinds of amazing shots is to take 4k video, and then go through the video frame by frame and pull out the exact picture you want. It works flawlessly. In the light of day, though, there is an amazing burst shot feature that will take several pictures right after the other so you can again pick out exactly which picture is what you were trying to capture. I use this a lot during my children’s sporting activities.

There literally are so many more features to this camera that I haven’t even scratched the surface on yet, and I can’t wait to keep on improving my photography! Be sure to read the captions on these included pictures to see what scenario was going on during the snap.

My son letting out a roar during his end of year dance festival

Gorgeous statue in Beijing, China

I just loved these umbrellas hanging as decorations near some shops in China

Super excited to be at the Bird’s Nest!

Capturing a moment being captured… so meta

I was completely across the courtyard and able to snap these dragons in the Forbidden City in China!

My son hitting the ball in Tee Ball

Animal shots can be impossible to get

Barn owl hoping to take flight

Buckin’ bronc riding at our city’s Rodeo

These girls are super speedy, plus the dark conditions make for a tricky shot

Motocross trick show during our rodeo

My daughter mid-stroke during a swim meet

Snapped this picture from the passenger seat of our car speeding down the freeway, building was MILES away too!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive compensation if you make a purchase using the links.

I am a mom who can fix your blog, your computer, or your server. I have been in the IT industry supporting small businesses for over 15 years. As a diehard PC and Android user, I can usually be found sparring with Apple fanboys, or watching movies with my family.